Recall the iconic line “Remember me to Herald Square.” It comes from the George M. Cohan musical “Little Johnny Jones”. The Herald Square Building stands here today. But the Herald Square referenced in that 1904 song was quite different.
Herald Square’s story began in 1846. The city acquired the area for the extension of Bloomingdale Road. It is now Broadway. The square’s name comes from the New York Herald Building. This architecturally distinctive building once stood at Broadway and Sixth Avenue.
Newspaper Row was traditionally downtown. It was located in lower Manhattan on Park Row. Heavy hitters like The New York Times and New York Tribune were headquartered there. The New York World was also there.
The New York Herald’s move to Herald Square in the 1890s was bold. James Gordon Bennett Jr. commandeered the move. He was the playboy son of The Herald’s founder. The newspaper had a penchant for sensationalist news. The new headquarters were designed by Stanford White. He was a New York City architectural darling. The design closely copied the Renaissance Palazzo del Consiglio in Verona.
Bennett Jr. only took out a 30-year lease on the land. He quipped that in thirty years The Herald would be in Harlem. He also said he would be in hell.
The New York Times moved north in 1904. It went to Times Square. The Herald didn’t end up in Harlem. The New York Tribune gobbled it up in 1924. It became the New York Herald Tribune.
The Herald Building was demolished in 1921. However, some details remain. Two of the 26 bronze owls that decorated the building were installed on the Herald Square monument in 1940. A figure of Minerva joined them. The owls symbolized the wisdom of the newspaper’s printed words. Owls were also an obsession of Bennett Jr.
Macy’s also moved to Herald Square in the 1890s. It came from 14th Street and 6th Avenue. Today, visitors notice the five-story building behind the big red Macy’s bag. This corner lot was the result of a real-estate battle. Rowland H. Macy had a verbal agreement. It was with the owner of the corner property. Henry Siegel wanted Macy’s 14th Street building. His agent outbid Macy for the corner. He intended to hold it hostage until Macy sold him the 14th Street building. Macy didn’t cave. Siegel built the five-story structure that stands there today.
Manhattan Mall also had a prior history. It was Gimbel’s Department Store. The skybridge connected the Gimbel Department Store to its annex across 32nd Street. Richmond H. Shreve and William F. Lamb designed the three-story structure. They later helped design the Empire State Building.
The elevated IRT Sixth Avenue line was built in the 1870s. It ran from Trinity Place to 59th Street. It was demolished in 1939. The underground subway replaced it.
Herald Square keeps changing. It is shifting from a transportation epicenter to a pedestrian-friendly intersection. It’s part of Broadway Boulevard. This is the pedestrianized section of Broadway.
Herald Square will always be a busy focal point. It is fun to remember its origins. It started as a calculated bet from a newspaper publisher.
The centerpiece of Herald Square is a monument. It is dedicated to James Gordon Bennett Sr. and his son. The monument includes a large clock. There is also a bronze figure of Minerva. Two blacksmiths ring bells. These once adorned the top of the Herald building. The blacksmiths are named Stuff and Guff and Gog and Magog.
Herald Square has some fascinating secrets. From abandoned sky bridges to elaborate statues, it has much to discover. Today, the Herald Square Building stands tall. It watches over this ever-evolving square. It remembers the echoes of news and ambition.